Timer mechanism



Feb. 19, 1963 R. L. KUGLER 3,078,355

TIMER MECHANISM Filed Feb. 18, 1960 INVENTOR. ROBERT L. KUGLER ATTORNEYS trite rates My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in a timer mechanism used on a distributor.

it is an object of the present invention to provide a mechanism of this type in which the breaker points are eliminated.

It is another object of the present. invention to provide a mechanism of this class in which a rotating contact member will travel successively over spaced apart terniinals.

Another object of the present invention is the provision in a mechanism of this class of a rotating metallic member having a free plunger and provided with spring pressed means for retaining the plunger in contact with the surface over which rotated and successively engaging terminals on such surface.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

It is recognized that various modifications and changes may be made in the detail of the structure illustrated without departing from the invention and it is intended that the present disclosure shall be considered to be but the preferred embodiment.

Forming a part of this application are drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view,

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a plate used in the invention,

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3,

PEG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the plate illustrated in FIG. 3,

PEG. 6 is a top plan view of a rotator used in the invention,

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the part shown in FIG. 6,

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken on line S-8 of Fit 6,

PEG. 9 is a diagrammatic view of the wiring used in the invention.

In the drawings 1 have illustrated the invention used with the distributor housing 14} into which extends the rotating drive shaft 15'. Projecting inwardly from the inner surface of the housing 14 are oppositely disposed brackets lid and 17 threaded into which are screws 18 which serve to clamp a metallic ring 2t between the brackets 16 and 3.7 and an insulating plate 19. Projected through the insulated plate 19 are spaced apart terminal screws 21 having the heads lying with their end face flush with the upper surface of the plate 19. Brackets 22 serve as retainers for the clips 23 which serve to hold the cover of the distributor housing into position. This cover of the distributor housing is of conventional form.

in the diagrammatic view I have illustrated a battery grounded as at 25 and connected through the wire 26 through a switch 27, an ammeter 2i; and a primary coil 29 to each of the screw terminal contacts 21. The

Patented Feb. 19, 1953 wire 26 is projected through an opening formed in the plate 19 and ring 20 and insulated therethrough. The wire 26 is connected to a condenser 3% which is grounded as at 31 through the wire Sta. A secondary coil 32 is grounded at 33 and connects to a central contact d8 mounted on the cover 49 of the distributor housing. Spaced apart contacts 34 are mounted on this cover 4%. Each of the contacts 3 being connected to one of the spark plugs in the usual manner.

A metallic ring 36 is positioned on the upper end of the shaft 15 and keyed thereto by means of the radially directed pin 42 which is pressed inwardly by the screw 43 so that the metallic ring 36 is rotated in unison with the shaft 15.

An axial passage 37 is formed through the ring 36. Loosely positioned in this passage 37 is a metallic contact plunger 38 pressed downwardly by the angularly turned end 39 of the spring 49 which is secured to the ring 36 by means of the screw 41.

The shaft 15, of course, is grounded and as the shaft 15 rotates, the plunger 38 will successively engage the terminals or contacts 21 on the plate 1% to successively make and break the circuit. Mounted on the upper end of the shaft 15 is the usual distributor rotor arm 52 of insulating material which carries on the upper fax a spring contact 48 in the usual manner which is electrically contacted to the secondary coil $2 and successively engages, upon rotation of the shaft 15', the contacts 34.

It will appear, therefore, that the novelty of the invention consists in the plate 19 with the terminals thereon, successively engaged by the plunger 38 which rides over the surface of the plate as the ring 36 rotates. It will thus be seen that I have provided a timer or ignition mechanism in which the use of a cam or breaker points actuated by the cam have been eliminated.

What I claim is:

1. In a distributor, a stationary housing; a rotatable drive shaft projecting through said housing; a pair of oppositely disposed brackets projecting inwardly of said housing adjacent the upper end thereof; a metallic annulus resting on said brackets; an insulating plate; screws projecting through said plate and through said annulus and threaded into said brackets for clamping said annulus between said brackets and said insulating plate; said shaft being grounded; a plurality of spaced apart contacts on said plate adapted to be connected to a primary coil in an ignition system, said contacts lying with their upper ends fiush with the upper face of said plate; a metallic ring fixedly mounted on said shaft for electrical connection therewith above said plate; said ring having an axial passage formed therethrough; a plunger loosely positioned in said passage and a spring on said ring engaging one end of said plunger for forcing the same into engagement with the upper surface of said plate, the location of said plunger on said ring being such that the contacts on said plate will be successively engaged upon the rotation of said ring.

2. The distributor structure as defined in claim 1, wherein: the contacts on the insulating plate are connected in series.

3. The distributor structure as defined in claim 1, wherein: said spring has one end thereof connected to smmssa said one end of said plunger and the other end thereof connected to said ring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,610,845 Brindle Dec. 14, 1926 5 Derek Dec. 30, 1924 1 Schadee Aug. 30, 1927 Bretz May 15, 1928 Fought et a1 July 2, 1929 Newton June 3, 1930 Jzmieson et a1 Oct. 9, 1956 Humphries Oct. 14, 1958 Silverschotz Aug. 22, 1961 

1. IN A DISTRIBUTOR, A STATIONARY HOUSING; A ROTATABLE DRIVE SHAFT PROJECTING THROUGH SAID HOUSING; A PAIR OF OPPOSITELY DISPOSED BRACKETS PROJECTING INWARDLY OF SAID HOUSING ADJACENT THE UPPER END THEREOF; A METALLIC ANNULUS RESTING ON SAID BRACKETS; AN INSULATING PLATE; SCREWS PROJECTING THROUGH SAID PLATE AND THROUGH SAID ANNULUS AND THREADED INTO SAID BRACKETS FOR CLAMPING SAID ANNULUS BETWEEN SAID BRACKETS AND SAID INSULATING PLATE; SAID SHAFT BEING GROUNDED; A PLURALITY OF SPACED APART CONTACTS ON SAID PLATE ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO A PRIMARY COIL IN AN IGNITION SYSTEM, SAID CONTACTS LYING WITH THEIR UPPER ENDS FLUSH WITH THE UPPER FACE OF SAID PLATE; A METALLIC RING FIXEDLY MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFT FOR ELECTRICAL CONNECTION THEREWITH ABOVE SAID PLATE; SAID RING HAVING AN AXIAL PASSAGE FORMED THERETHROUGH; A PLUNGER LOOSELY POSITIONED IN SAID PASSAGE AND A SPRING ON SAID RING ENGAGING ONE END OF SAID PLUNGER FOR FORCING THE SAME INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID PLATE, THE LOCATION OF SAID PLUNGER ON SAID RING BEING SUCH THAT THE CONTACTS ON SAID PLATE WILL BE SUCCESSIVELY ENGAGED UPON THE ROTATION OF SAID RING. 